Hydra (U6)

From Ultima Codex
Jump to navigation Jump to search

This article is about a plant in Ultima VI. For the animal appearing in other games, see Hydra.


Hydra
Black and white drawing of a plant with an array of tentacles at the top and a mouth with teeth at the center of them.
Hydra, from the Ultima VI manual
Only appearance: Ultima VI

Encountered only in Ultima VI, the carnivorous hydra is a hostile plant native to the swamplands of Britannia. It is a fierce opponent, but immobile.

Description[edit]

Possessing a central, mouth-like structure from which numerous tentacles radiate to strike at nearby threats, this plant is a serious menace. Creatures are either killed and dragged to the maw for feeding, or are simply eaten alive on the spot. Needless to say, the presence of such a plant makes expeditions into the swamplands highly dangerous. However, due to their immobility, ranged attacks are a safe way to defeat them.

Curiously, this aggressive flora shares its name with the multi-headed hydras seen in Ultima IV and Ultima VII. The reason for this is unknown.

Lore[edit]

The putrid quagmire of the swamp is the spawning ground of this botanical nightmare. Survivors of the Great Battle on the Bloody Plains tell of driving the enemy into the adjacent swamplands where the carnivorous hydras completed their mission of destruction. While fearsome, hydras also bring good luck, of a sort — when one finds a hydra, the valued nightshade mushroom can usually be found close by.


The Ultima 6 Project[edit]


This is an Ultima 6 Project-related article or section. The information within may not apply to Ultima VI or other Ultima games.


Due to the confusion surrounding this monster’s sudden appearance and subsequent disappearance from the series after Ultima VI, the designers of the Ultima 6 Project decided to replace these plants with the more well-known, dragon-like hydra.

See Also[edit]